1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus having receiving means for receiving an information signal comprising packets of information signals that occur regularly as a function of time in a serial data stream of the received information signal, time stamping means for time stamping the packets comprised in the received information signal using a time stamp clock reference, writing means for recording the time-stamped packets in at least one track of a record carrier, employing a write clock reference for synchronizing the writing means, and reading means linked with detector means for reproducing the recorded time-stamped information signal from the at least one track of the record carrier using a read clock reference for sampling the recorded information signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In current day practice, use is made of at least two different and independent crystal clock generators, one for sampling the information signal which is retrieved from the record carrier and for generation of a first stamp reference clock, and one separate crystal clock for synchronizing the writing means. Particularly, the synchronizing frequency of the latter clock requires accuracy in the choice of frequency in order to conform to the information signal channel bit rate.
It is the aim of the invention to reduce the number of components used in the known apparatus without compromising the requirements of the recording and reproducing process of the known apparatus.
According to a first aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises clock generating means with a single reference crystal for generating the clock reference signals. Advantageously, the single reference crystal is chosen to generate a single reference signal of a frequency of an integer multiple of the write clock reference signal.
This provides the opportunity to maintain the required accuracy of the writing operation by applying a divider in order to generate the required write clock signal derived from the single reference signal from the clock generating means, which satisfies the writing frequency.
Particularly, when the frequency of the single clock reference is chosen at three times the frequency of the write clock signal, the clock generating means provides a frequency in a reproducing mode with an over-sampling factor of 3, which facilitates an improvement in respect of the signal quality.
A further advantageous embodiment of a recording/reproducing apparatus, wherein the received information signal comprises program clock reference (PCR) signals, is characterized in that the apparatus comprises counter means for generating the time stamp clock reference using the received program clock reference (PCR) signals and the single clock reference signal.
Preferably a counter, as described in International Patent Application No. WO99/65027, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,193 (PHN 16.942), is used.
A further embodiment is characterized in that the counter means provides a time stamp reference signal with a frequency of 27 MHz.